4 years with a Windward Flute [review]

[@thairishflute6799]

Glad to hear you’ve grown into the Windward. Yola and Forbes are really lovely people and if you get a chance to go to Nova Scotia, I highly recommend you stop by their home/workshop and try their case of flutes (you’ll be like a kid in a candy store!) I’ve been playing with my keyless Windward for 7 years now and I totally get what you mean by if you don’t have the right embouchure, it is unforgiving (you can really honk it horribly!). However, I love the low register on this flute that I can’t seem to get from my Doyle. Two of my flute friends both have their keyed Windwards and they love them. I’m still waiting for mine but hopefully it’ll be coming in a few months. If you’re ever on the west coast, I’ll be happy to let you try mine! Cheers and keep up the good videos!

[@gwgtaylor]

Nice! I’ve been on their wait list for five years. Last I heard mine may be ready next year. Can’t wait to see yours!

[@davidm3111]

I have a windward keyed mopane flute and one of their keyless torrified maple flutes. I also have a keyed Rod Cameron Rudall and Rose. I agree with you that playing the Windward makes the Cameron flute seem easy. I do like the bigger sound of the Windward for sessions though. You assess the weight of the flute - I think the Mopane is a heavy wood. But try one of their maple flutes - light as a feather, more forgiving than the mopane and very loud... you can just feel it vibrate in your hands. It is a thing of beauty but also very tough - I suppose because of the torrification process.

[@jamessupplee7289]

It would be interesting to know if the embouchure holes of the flutes were different. The oval tends to be more requiring of a precise embouchure and the rounded rectangle is more forgiving. Terry Magee offers both shapes. I don't know about Woodward.

[@Oaktreealley]

i love that deep voice of the windward. Gosh id love to have a group to play irish tunes with. =) But here's a question- If i were to buy a classical era 8 key flute, is that essentially the same as your irish keyed flute? (I noticed some very large tone holes on the Windward but i couldn't see with the Mcgee.) Thanks.

[@whistletutor]

More than likely, yes. For example, I had a late 1800s 8-key German-made flute that didn't play great but was a big step up from what I had before. And if you can find an 1840s Rudall, sell a kidney to acquire it if need be. They're not all rock stars and some of them need a lot of work, but it's a viable option. Check out theirishflutestore.com as they tend to score some of those flutes from time to time. Cheers!

[@Oaktreealley]

@@whistletutor very cool. Thanks for replying. =)

[@jenniferbaird9694]

REALLY interesting, thank you!!! I play flute and whistle. Prefer flute on slower tunes and whistle (for ease) on faster one! I have a Casey Burns Mopane flute and a Martine Doyle Blackwood - both of them keyless and gorgeous instruments. They are SO different. The Casey burns is easier for the stretch to low D as he made it to suit my fingers but the embouchure is very precise and unforgiving. It's also quite a bit heavier because of the brass tuning slide and lining in the head joint - but man, is it beautiful with the engraved silver and the way it tapers so elegantly. My Martin Doyle has more of that biting sound and the embouchure is easier. Its also beautiful in a more austere way. I do find it's stretch to low D tricky, though easier the more I play it regularly. If only I could combine the two! I've had totally opposite advice from very experienced flute players as to whether to keep alternating and get used to accommodating their differences in my embouchure and finger span.....or to just stick to one of them and totally master it. I'm getting on a bit in years (67) and doubt that I have time to become a master on either of them but you never know! Intuitively I'm drawn to the possibility of playing them off against each other and getting better BECAUSE of their differences. I'd be interested to know what you think. As far as different whistles go, I think my playing improves because I get more sensitive to the various makes of whistle I own. Much gratitude for your videos!❤

[@schleyguy5118]

I personally like the sound of your older flute better

[@Hawke301]

What would you recommend for slow airs, wooden flute, or low whistle? I reqlly like the warmer tone of the low whistles, but I also like the sound of a wooden flute...they seem to be pretty similar in tone quality, thiugh the flute seems to be more "airy," ppssibly because of how it's played. I'm learning whistle, enjoy traditional Irish music, and trying to figure out whether to get a low whistle for some songs, or perhaps a wooden flute. What would you recommend?

[@MrSeedi76]

If you can't still find one, get a "Qwistle" low D. The closest to a flute sound on a low D whistle that I ever heard. A flute will still be more expressive however as it's easier to vary the volume or play the high notes softer in contrast to a whistle.

[@fanchgoebel5120]

Thank you very much 😃👌🏻

[@frankclaudy1031]

Interesting comparison. I had the opportunity to try out Windward flutes as well as Terry McGees, both well made. I have played Rudall designs more than Pratten though I like both.

[@whothennow24]

Are these flutes played the same way as whistles as far as the fingering and how you change octaves?

[@jimlally8152]

Which embouchure do you have on the Windward flute, Boosey, Prowse...?

[@soslothful]

Well, better Windward than wayward.

[@clifford7]

Too technical? Important is the authentic sound. Playability ! Grip. Tones. And the price versus quality. To much talk

[@whistletutor]

Right on - I'm sorry to say that I don't have any videos on YT with zero talking though I've got loads on TikTok, feel free to track me down there (same username). And anyone else with similarly short attention spans, feel free to follow me there as well.